by Louanne Cox

Created on: April 09, 2008

Hera was born to the Titan's Cronus and Rhea, one of six children. Immediately upon her birth her father, Cronus swallowed her up. Cronus had been told by a prophet that one of his children would destroy him. Hera's next four siblings were Hestia, Demeter, Poseidon and Hades and each of them were also swallowed up by their father. Her youngest sibling was Zeus. When Zeus was born, Rhea smuggled him away to prevent Cronus from swallowing him.

When Zeus was older Rhea convinced Cronus to allow him to return to Mount Olympus where he served as Cronus' cup bearer. This position allowed Zeus to slip Cronus a special poison which made him throw up Zeus' siblings.

Once Hera was expelled from her father's body her mother Rhea entrusted her to Oceanus and Tethys who brought her up.

While their father was still the ruler of the world Zeus tricked Hera and seduced her, according to one legend Zeus changed himself into a cuckoo in another he changed himself into a peacock. In both legends he changed himself back when Hera was caressing her and after first resisting his advances Hera allowed herself to become seduced.

Once Zeus became the ruler of the Sky and their brothers Hades and Poseidon became the rules of the Underworld and the Sea, Zeus and Hera were married. Their sacred marriage took place on Olympus where all of the gods were present to celebrate the joyous occasion. Other legends claim that the marriage ceremony actually took place on the Greek island of Crete or Euboea.

Hera was deliriously happy in her marriage to Zeus and bore him three children. They were daughters Hebe and Eilithyia and son Ares. Their happy marriage was to last for 300 years before Zeus's wandering eye led for him to forget marital fidelity. This led to Hera being very unhappy.

The saying hell hath no fury like a woman scorned had nothing on Hera, instead of being angry at Zeus she took all of her fury out on the woman involved. The fury of a woman who has the power of a Goddess is a horrible thing to encounter as many were to find out.

Zeus seduced and raped his way through a number of women incuding Leto and Semele. Hera took her revenge out on Leto by not letting her give birth to her twins on terra firma or on an island out at sea. Therefore Leto had to make her way to Delos which was a floating island. Hera caused the death of Semele and also punished her sister for looking after the baby that Semele and Zeus had together.

There were other occasions when Hera showed her vindictiveness that

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